Apparatus for applying varnish to conductors and similar articles



March 21, 1950 J. J. KEYES 2,501,339

APPARATUS FOR APPLYING VARNISH T0 CONDUCTORS AND SIMILAR ARTICLES Filed June a, 1946 WITNESSES:

Patented Mar. 21, 1950 APPARATUS FOR APPLYING VABNISI-I TO CONDUCTOBS AND SIMILAR ARTICLES John J. Key

Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor to Westinghouse Ele trio Corporation, East Pittsburgh, Pa., a corpor ion of Pennsylvania Application June 8, 1946, Serial No. 675,357 7 '7 Claims. 1

The invention relates generally to apparatus for applying varnish or otheradhesive materials to conductors and similar articles.

Heretofore, in the application of varnish and other adhesives to conductors many methods have been employed for removing the excess material picked up by or applied to the conductor. In some instances, attempts have been made to blow oil the excess varnish carried by the conductor with air under pressure delivered through an annular nozzle. This method has not been satisfactory because of the great volume of air required, the evaporation and oxidation of the varnish and the problem of collecting the varnish blown oflf.

Attempts to employ solid dies have been unsuccessful in applying varnish to conductors because of the variation in the diameter of the conductor. It is well known that conductors or wire are never the same in diameter throughout their lengths. The greatest variation in diameter usually occurs from spool to spool or shipment to shipment. Therefore when a conductor carrying varnish is drawn through a solid die the layer of varnish will vary with the diameter of the conductor. 1

The object of the invention is the provision of a varnish applicator that responds to centrifu-.

gal force for wiping a conductor or other member after it has been drawn through a varnish tank, to remove excess varnish.

A further object of the invention is to provide for removing excess varnish from a conductor by a wiper that rotates about the conductor which wiper clears itself of the excess varnish by the centrifugal force caused by its rotation and leaves an even coating of varnish on the conductor.

The invention, accordingly, is disclosed in the embodiment thereof shown in the accompanying drawing and comprises the features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in I the claims.

For a general understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in

which:

Figure 1 is a view partly in perspective and partly in section showing the a paratus as it would be applied for performing a wiping operation in the actual application of varnish to a conductor.

Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation showing details of the structure.

Fig. 3 is a view in bottom plan of the wiping members assembled and applied to the conductor.

an electric motor I9.

8. 4 is a view inside elevation of a connecting tube that may be utilized for'connecting the apparatus to a suitable driving means such as a motor.

Fig. 5 is a view in side elevation of a modified wiping apparatus.

Fig. 6 is a view in side elevation of a modi; fled tube for connecting the wiping apparatus to the driving unit.

Fig. 7 is a view in side elevation of another modification of the means for connecting the wipingapparatus to the driving unit, and

Fig. 8 is a view in side elevation of a wiping member showing details of construction.

Referring now to the drawing and Fig. 1 in particular, a complete installation for applying varnish or other adhesive or coating material to a conductor or similar member is illustrated to show how the apparatus for wiping the excess varnish from a conductor as it is drawn through a varnish tank, may be mounted. It is to be understood that this is merely by way of illustration and that the applicant 'is not to be limited to this method of use of the apparatus.

In Fig. 1 a varnish tank In with a removable lid II is illustrated and contains varnish l2. The drum 13 which carries the conductor I4 to be coated with varnish may be rotatably mounted in a suitable manner to facilitate the feeding of the conductor over the guide roll l5 into the varnish tank'l ll.

In this embodiment of the invention, the conductor enters the varnish tank In through a gland It provided in the bottom of the tank "I. The conductor I4 is drawn through the tankand varnish by means of a drum ll which may be rotated by any suitable driving means well known in the art. The conductor ll runs over a second guide roll l8 before it is wound on the drum H. The portion of the conductor between guide rolls l5 and I8 is vertical thus facilitating the drawing through the apparatus for wiping ofi the excess varnish.

In this embodiment of the invention, the wiping apparatus is illustrated as being driven by The drive between the motor and the wiping apparatus illustrated comprises a worm carried by the motor shaft 20 and a worm gear in the case 2 I. The worm and worm gear are not illustrated in detail since this method of driving apparatus is well known in the art. The worm gear is keyed to a tubular shaft 22 which rotates in the bushing or sleeve 23.

The motor l9 and case 2| are not shown supported in any particular manner. However, it will be readily appreciated that these members may be supported in any manner well known in the art. Therefore, it is deemed unnecessary to show such details.

The depending tubular shaft 22 is provided lar shaft 24 best illustrated in Fig. 4. The upper end of the shaft 24 is threaded into the depending shaft 22. In this embodiment of the invention, a sleeve 25 is provided on the top ll of the varnish tank in and serves to steady the shaft 24 during operation.

After the shaft 24 is mounted in the tubular shaft 22, the wiping apparatus shown generally at 26 is mounted on the shaft 24. In order to provide for mounting the wiping apparatus, a tubular member 21 is provided on the upper end of the wiping apparatus 26 and has an internal thread for engaging the threaded lower end of the shaft 24. When the apparatus 26 is mounted on the shaft 24,.it is ready for operation. The speed at which the wiper may be rotated will depend on the design of the worm and worm gear and the speed for which the motor is designed. It will be readily appreciated that this can be controlled to meet any predetermined requirements. a

-The wiping apparatus shown generally at 26 comprises a plate 28 rigidly connected to the tubular member 21. The plate 28 has an opening therethrough which aligns with the opening through the tubular member 21. Two cylindrical members 29 and 38 depend from the plate 28.

They are fixed to the plate in any suitable manner so that they will rotate with it. As illustrated, the plate 28 is not balanced or evenly distributed around the axis of the tubular mem ber 21.

A member 32, which is substantially D-shaped in cross section, is loosely mounted on the depending members 29 and 38. The D-shaped member 32 has an opening extending. therethrough, the bottom portion 33 of which is substantially rectangular and the upper portion 34 of which is circular. In order to mount the member 32, the cylindrical members 29 and 38 are notched at 35 as best shown in Fig. 8. The notches 35 are long enough to fit loosely over the length of the D-shaped member 32. In order to retain the D-shaped member 32 in position on the depending members 29 and 38 a set screw 36 is disposed in a threaded opening provided in a the curved outer end of the D-shaped member 32. This set screw 36 as provided in this embodiment and shown in Fig. 3 has a cone shaped end which cooperates in retaining the member 32 in position on the wiping members 29 and 38. The provision of the adjustable set screw 36 also facilitates the adjustment of the wiping apparatus to any size of conductor. It may also be utilized in adjusting the apparatus to get different wiping effects.

As pointed out hereinbefore, the D-shaped member 32 has a straight or flat side 31 in which a plurality of openings 38 are provided. The purpose of the openings 38 is to provide for discharging varnish from the conductor by the members 29 and 38. The varnish will be discharged by the centrifugal force developed through the rotation of the wiping apparatus 28.

A cylindrical rod 9 depends from the plate 23 and extends into an opening provided in theD- shaped member 32. This rod. cooperates with the wiping members 29 and 38 in wiping operations.

In operation, when the drums l3 and I! are set in operation to draw the conductor i 4 through through the gland it along the wiping members 28 and 38 of the wiping apparatus 26, as shown in Fig. 3, through the tubular member 21, tubular shaft 24, shaft 22 driven by the worm gear and the tube 38 carried by the case 2| over the guide drum l8 to the reel ordrum l1. As the conductor travels through the rotating wiping apparatus 26 the members 29 and 38 wip off excess varnish. The varnish under the influence of the centrifugal force is discharged from the members 29 and 38 and passes out through the openings 38 in the D-shaped member 32. Further varnish is thrown off the wiping members i; and 38 which -is not caught by the member In this particular embodiment of the invention, the shaft 24 is merely a tubular member and may or may not pick up some of the excess varnish; The speed of the wiping apparatus will depend on the varnish being applied, the size of the conductor, the amount of varnish to be applied to the particular conductor and a num-- ber of other variableswell known to the operator.

Trial runs to determine th utility of the rotating wiping apparatus proved it to be very successful. It gave a homogeneous layer of enamel throughout the length of the conductor.

The embodiment of the invention described is one that has been found very successful in trial runs. However, it is to be understood that this particular wiping apparatus may be modified. The fundamental of the wiping apparatus appears to be the use of the rotating member for wiping excess varnish from the conductor and discharging the excess varnish by the use of the centrifugal force developed through the rotation of the wiping apparatus.

As will be appreciated, many modifications of the wiping apparatus may be made and one has been shown in Fig. 5. The wiping apparatus shown generally at 48 in Fig. 5 is in effect a die having an opening 4! therethrough for the conductor [4. The upper end of the wiping member 48 is provided with an internal thread 42 for receiving the lower end of the shaft 24. A plurality of laterally disposed openings 43 are provided in the wall of the member 48 for the discharge of excess varnish picked up in the wiping operation The varnish that reaches the opening '43 is disposed of through the centrifugal force developed by the rotation of the wipingmember 48.

In addition to the modification illustrated in Fig. 5, many other devices utilizing the principle of removing excess varnish through rotation of the wiping member and the discharge of the excess varnish picked up by centrifugal force may be utilized, but have not been illustrated since the two modifications shown and described are adequate to disclose the principle of wiping by rotation and discharging excess varnish by centrifugal force.

In instances where a certain amount of excess varnish may be drawn past the wiper 26, shafts such as 24 may be designed which will cooperate in discharging or picking up such excess varnish. Two such shafts are illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7.

The shaft illustrated generally at 44 in Fig. 6 is a tubular member 45 provided with a plurality of openings 46. An adequate number of openings will be provided to function effectively under the conditions to be met. The excess varnish picked up from the conductor i4 by the shaft shown generally at 44 will be discharged under the iniiuence of the centrifugal force through the openings 45.

The modification illustrated in Fig. '7 comprises a tubular shaft shown generally at 41 with a thread 48 which picks up the excess varnish and gradually forces it downwardly into the wiping apparatus 26 from which it is discharged by centrifugal force.

In the operation of all modifications of this invention the varnish is spread evenly around the circumference of the conductor or wire irrespective of the variations in diameter because of the rotation of the Wiping members 29 and 30. In the case of the solid or non-rotating die the varnish is usually not deposited uniformly around the circumference of the conductor or wire but is thicker on one side than the other.

Since various changes may be made in the above-described construction and arrangement of parts, and different embodiments maybe made without departing from the scope and spirit thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a device for applying varnish to an electrical conductor, in combination, a rotatable shaft, wiping apparatus carried by the rotatable shaft, the wiping apparatus comprising a plurality of depending members so disposed in spaced, substantially parallel relation that the conductor may be drawn between them and substantially parallel to their axes, means associated with said depending members for guiding the conductor substantially between them, means for rotating the depending members in an orbit around the conductor to wipe excess varnish from the conductor as it moves, the wiping apparatus being adapted to discharge under the influence of centrifugal force the excess varnish collected from the conductor.

2. In a device for applying varnish to an electrical conductor, in combination, a tubular shaft having openings therein through which varnish may be discharged by centrifugal force, wiping apparatus depending from the lower end of the shaft, a plurality of members carried by the wiping apparatus and disposed to be revolved in an orbit around the conductor to perform a wiping operation, means for guiding the conductor into contact with said wiping members as it moves and means for revolving the wiping mem- 4. In an apparatus for Wiping excess varnish from a conductor as it is being coated, in com- I bination, a hollow shaft through which the conductor may be drawn, a plurality of cylindrical wiping members depending from the shaft and disposed substantially parallel to the direction of movement of the conductor through the wiping apparatus to revolve in an orbit around the conductor, means for guiding the conductor into contact with the wiping members to effect the wiping operation, the wiping members and guiding means being adapted for discharging excess varnish under the influence of centrifugal force developed by rotation.

5. In apparatus for removing excess varnish from a conductor as it is being applied, in combination, a plurality of wiping members disposed to revolve in an orbit around the conductor, a member for carrying the wiping members, a guide cooperative to bring the wiping members into contact with the conductor as it moves and means for rotating the wiping members and guide to effect removal of excess varnish from the conductors, the excess varnish collected by the wiping apparatus being discharged through the centrifugal force developed by the rotation of the wiping apparatus.

bers around the conductor as it moves to remove 1 excess varnish, the wiping apparatus being adapted for discharging excess varnish under the influence of centrifugal force as the wiping apparatus is rotated.

3. In a device for wiping excess varnish from a conductor as it is being coated, in combination, a hollow shaft through which the conductor may be drawn, means provided in the shaft for picking up excess varnish and delivering it downwardly, a plurality of wiping members depending from the lower end of the shaft and disposed to travel in an orbit around the conductor and at a predetermined distance therefrom, means for drawing the wiping members toward the conductor to pick up excess varnish, means for revolving the wiping members to eflect the wiping operation, the wiping apparatus being adapted for discharging the excess varnish picked up by the centrifugal force developed during operation.

posed iri the D-shaped member for eifecting contact between the wiping members and the conductor to remove excess varnish, the D-shaped member having openings through which excess varnish picked up by the wiping members may be discharged under the influence of centrifugal force and means for rotating the wiping member and D-shaped member around the conductor to effect the wiping operation and removal of varnish which is discharged under the influence of centrifugal force.

'7. In a device for applying varnish to an electrical conductor, in combination, wiping apparatus comprising a plurality of cylindrical wiping members disposed for a limited lateral movement relative to the conductor, the cylindrical wiping members being disposed with their axes substantially parallel to the line of movement of the conductor, means for guiding the conductor along the cylindrical wiping members and means for rotating the cylindrical wiping members and guiding means in an orbit around the conductor as it moves to remove excess varnish. the excess varnish removed being discharged from the members by means of centrifugal force developed through the rotation of the members.

' JOHN J. KEYES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record inthe file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Donovan Jan. 14, 1941. 

